‘Westworld’ Season 2: Everything You Need to Know About the Return to Delos’ Playground

We’re ready for Samurai World already.

[Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers from Season 1 of “Westworld.”]

The futuristic and immersive theme park in “Westworld” is left in disarray after the first season, when a horde of reactivated hosts, aka A.I.-enhanced robots, emerge from a forest after Dolores (Evan Rachel Wood) shoots and kills Ford (Anthony Hopkins). It’s all part of the revived Bernard’s (Jeffrey Wright) plan, 35 years in the making, to have them revolt against the human “guests.” Viewers also learned that the Man in Black (Ed Harris) is the embittered and grown-up William (Jimmi Simpson) who had first sweetly wooed Dolores back in the day, and that Dolores is the notorious killer known as Wyatt. Finally, the resourceful Maeve (Thandie Newton) almost succeeds in escaping Westworld altogether, which would have been in line with her programming, but instead turns back to seek out her daughter.

In the real world, “Westworld” Season 1 earned a whopping 22 Emmy nominations in 2016, but only managed to win five in the crafts categories. Critics lauded the series for its performances, visuals, and story.

Season 2 Will Premiere April 22

HBO renewed the show for another 10-episode season, which will debut on Earth Day. Although HBO hasn’t sent out anything official, the first episode is believed to be named “Journey Into Night,” judging by a teaser video seen on the Discover Westworld Delos site.

Who’s Returning?

The main characters left alive at the end of Season 1 and featured in the trailer are definitely back, and that includes Dolores, Maeve, and Bernard, Teddy (James Marsden) and the Man in Black. But EW also revealed that a few other unexpected familiar faces will show up. Among them, here are our four favorites:

William – Yes, there will be more flashbacks to the man who would be the Man in Black.
Charlotte Hale (Tessa Thompson) – Her position of power has significantly changed.
Lee Sizemore (Simon Quarterman) – The shoe is on the other foot for the writer of the park’s stories. Yep, he should be afraid.
Clementine Pennyfeather (Angela Sarafyan) – She’s very changed since Season 1, after she was all but lobotomized.

Attack of the Drone Hosts

That creepy white figure looming behind Bernard is what’s known as a drone host, according to EW. And if you watch the trailer below, it looks as if the drone hosts have the ability to be violent.

We’ll Visit at Least One New Theme Park World

Maeve isn’t searching for her daughter blind, but had a map in hand that included Samurai World, which was teased in the Season 1 finale with a suit of samurai armor and the SW logo. Series creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy hinted that Romanworld and Medievalworld might also be on the table for Season 2.

The Animal Robots Will Get in on the Action

According to the trailer below that debuted during the Super Bowl, a bunch of mechanical robot bulls will wreak havoc in Delos’ high-tech Westworld labs. With Maeve striding out among them, it appears that maybe she had a hand in reprogramming them. No word on whether the robot horses will rise up to avenge their exploding brethren.

Dolores Gets a Modern Makeover

EW previewed several new photos, and this one caught our eye because Dolores isn’t wearing period Western garb anymore. Could this mean she’s broken free?